Cranberry Valentine :: Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake

from Cranberry Valentine (affiliate link)

Ingredients: 

1 box of yellow cake mix

4 to 5 cups raw cranberries (we forgot to measure and used one bag... probably pretty close)

2 1/2 cups of white sugar

1 cup of brown sugar

1 stick of butter (1/4 lb.)

1 cup of walnut halves or pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350˚.

Slice the stick of butter in thin pieces.  Distribute the pieces evenly over the bottom of a 9-13-inch pan or a large round one.  (We used a 12 inch heart pan - affiliate link) Sprinkle the walnut halves or pieces over the butter.

Wash and dry the cranberries, and pour them over the nuts.

 Add the white sugar and the brown sugar, spreading evenly over the cranberries.   

Mix the sugar and the cranberries slightly.

Follow the directions on the box to prepare the yellow cake mix, and pour it over everything.

 

Bake at 350˚ for 40 to 50 minutes.  It is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

 

Let cool for 10 minutes.  Then, with a knife, loosen the cake from the edges of the pan, and turn over on a plate.  Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Happy St. Valentine's Day! 

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A Paleo Strawberry Coconut Trifle

This post was written by past Catholic Cuisine contributor Amy.

It is a little late for this Easter, but I wanted to share this with you anyway.  It would be a great dessert for many feast days, including Valentine's Day or Pentecost.  Add some blueberries and it would be a fun dessert for Divine Mercy Sunday as well!

In our family we have people with gluten intolerance and one poor little muffin who is lactose intolerant.  So I generally have to get a bit creative with our holiday treats. 

All I could think about was the fact that I wanted to have that wonderful trifle here at Catholic Cuisine we have every year on Easter.  So I searched the net, but nothing looked very good (well to me, that is, I was being picky).  Then I found, on Pinterest, a link on how to make whip cream from canned coconut milk.  With that and a gluten free cake mix from Pamela's I knew I had it!

A Paleo Strawberry Coconut Trifle

• 1 package Pamela's Vanilla Cake Mix
• 3-4 pounds strawberries (you can do less, but we went for it)
• 1/2 to 1 cup almond or coconut milk
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup evaporated cane juice  (you could use agave or another sweetener I am sure to your taste)
• 2 cans Native Forest unsweetened FULL FAT coconut milk

Bake the cake according to directions.  Do this the night before and let it cool completely.  I had to hide mine on top of the fridge.  In the morning cut up into 1 inch cubes.  Poor the almond or coconut milk over the cubed cake till it is moist but not soaked.  Cut the strawberries and sprinkle with coconut and sweetener, mix.  Make the coconut whipped cream.  Follow these directions.  They work and it is AMAZING.  I didn't have enough whipped cream for the top because one of my cans got shook up, which was a huge disappointment.  So we only had one layer of the coconut whipped cream instead of two.  I ended up drizzling the other can a little over everyone's servings instead.

On the bottom of your trifle or glass bowl, put half the cake.  Put half the strawberry mixture on top of that, then half of the 2 cans worth of whipped coconut cream.  Repeat.  On top place a decorative strawberry and some toasted coconut.



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A Healthy St. Valentine's Day Treat!

As I mentioned in my last post, we have been trying to come up with some alternatives to the usual candy treats for St. Valentine's Day this year, since it falls during Lent.  I originally ran across this idea over at Happy Money Saver and decided to create my own document incorporating St. Valentine into the greeting for one of my children to assemble and give to his friends at our St. Valentine's Party and Card Exchange this Thursday.

Here is our Document:  

St. Valentine's Day Cutie Printable

Some of the other non-candy treats we will be giving away this year include bags of pretzels, goldfish, fruit snacks, and fruit leathers.   

I'm so thankful that at least St. Valentine's Day is not on Ash Wednesday or on a Friday...  How does your family celebrate St. Valentine's Day when it falls during Lent?  

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May you be CEREALsly blessed...

With St. Valentine's Day during Lent this year, my children have been trying to come up with some alternatives to the usual candy treats they give to their friends at our annual St. Valentine's Day party and card exchange!  There are many great ideas and printables to be found online, but since we prefer our cards to include references to "St. Valentine" I have been making a few of our own and thought I'd share them with you all.  

After seeing this idea online, I picked up a case of individual cereal boxes at Costco last week for my oldest daughter to give on St. Valentine's Day. We decided to change the suggested text from "I CEREALsly Like You!" to "I pray that you are CEREALsly blessed this St. Valentine's Day!"   

My daughter cut out each of the tags with my 1 1/2" circle punch, punched a tiny hole on one side, and side them, along with a plastic spoon, on to the cereal box with some white ribbon.   They turned out so cute and she is very excited to share them with her friends! 

 

(We started with these) Version One (I pray that you are...) Downloads:

CEREALsly Blessed in Red

CEREALsly Blessed in Pink

(But decided we liked these better) Version Two (May you be...) Downloads:

CEREALsly Blessed in Red

CEREALsly Blessed in Pink

This would also be a fun treat to surprise your children with on 

St. Valentine's Day!  

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A St. Valentine's Day Dinner

The following meal suggestion for a St. Valentine's Day dinner was submitted by Eliana Murphy.  Thank you Eliana! 

I found this recipe for a heart-shaped meatloaf back in the mid-90's and thought it would make a charming St. Valentine's Day meal. Together with the salad and some steamed veggies, it could form a wonderful part of St. Valentine's feast! The pictures are from when I prepared it six years ago for some friends at my grad school apartment.

Strawberry Hearts Salad

In keeping with the heart theme, I would suggest making a strawberry spinach salad with fresh baby spinach leaves and sliced strawberries. Other topping suggestions include gorgonzola, brie, almonds, carmelized pecans or red onion. My family normally just buys a berry dressing at the store, but if you feel like making your own, many cooking sites such as this one offer homemade dressing recipes for strawberry-spinach salad.

A Heart-Shaped St. Valentine's Meatloaf

This meatloaf has a nice Italian flavor to it and is an easy dinner for St. Valentines Day that the kids can help to make! Just make sure those little helpers wash their hands well before and after mixing the meatloaf...  The recipe is adapted from Mom's Magic Meatloaf from the Sunset Magazine Low Cholesterol Cookbook.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon dry basil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 egg whites
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 cans (8 oz. each) tomato sauce
• 2 pounds ground lean top round
• 3 pounds thin-skinned potatoes (each about 3 inches in diameter)
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, basil, pepper, egg whites, garlic, and 1 cup of the tomato sauce. Add beef and mix lightly. In a rimmed shallow baking pan (about 10 inches in diameter), shape mixture into a 2-inch-thick heart. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven; carefully drain fat from pan, then top loaf with remaining tomato sauce. Bake for 15 more minutes.

While meatloaf is baking, place potatoes in a 3 to 4-quart pan and add water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat; then reduce heat, cover, and boil gently until potatoes are tender when pierced (about 20 minutes). Drain and peel. Mash with a potato masher or electric mixer until smooth; slowly beat in milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer meat loaf to serving plate. With a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe potatoes around meat loaf. (Or simply spoon potatoes around loaf.) Makes 8 servings.

This meatloaf goes well with steamed vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, California blend, frozen artichoke hearts(!), etc.

Heart Shaped Cookies

A nice dessert for this meal would be heart-shaped Linzer cookies!  I made these a couple of years ago but unfortunately cannot find any pictures from that time to share.

Prayer to Saint Valentine

Dear Lord, who art high in the Heavens, giver of Love and Passion, and He who strings the heart’s cords, lead the Lovers this day, February ten plus four. The day during the month of two, when the date is the perfect number of God greater two souls and two hearts. Some Loves are fleeting, but that which is built on you will never fail. So guide the Lovers to know what is to be. Your truths the Lovers’ mouths should speak, for Your truth is that which is honest to the heart. Only this, then, should pass over the red lips of the Lovers. Your art, the Lovers simply a medium. It is only with True Hearts that You can create a Masterpiece, So let the Lovers remember that their Soul’s Desire is the one for which You light their Fire. And let it be You who creates the Art of the Lovers; The art of two into one. Amen.

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Saint Valentine's Oatmeal Bake

This post was written by past Catholic Cuisine contributor Amy.

I have been using a certain recipe for Oatmeal bake for about a year now, but decided to change it up a bit. Then I figured, I would share it with you!  This would make a perfect Saint Valentine breakfast or treat with some added white chocolate chips!

Since there are some people in this house that would rather eat dirt in this house than eat a bowl of oatmeal,  this is a nice alternative.  Everyone likes it and it make a ton, so even if you do not have a large family you can stick it in an air tight container and snack on it.

Oatmeal Bake
serves approx. 12

1 cup butter
1 cup all natural peanut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2/3 cup applesauce
1 Tablespoon vanilla
4 cups oats
3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cherries
shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Cream together butter and peanut butter.  Add sugar and whip till fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time and then vanilla.
In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients except dried fruit and coconut.  Slowly add to wet ingredients.  When fully combined add dried fruit.
Press into a buttered 10x15  pan.  Helpful hint: wet down your hands.  Sprinkle with shredded coconut and arrange some extra dried cherries on top in he shape of a heart.  Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Arrange some extra dried cherries on top in he shape of a heart.

This is so yummy with a tall glass of ice cold milk!

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Nothing Says "I Love You" like ...

... Banana Split Ice Cream Cake :)

My children and I made this special treat last year for our family's Valentine's Day Celebration. It was such a hit that I thought I should share it here!

Inspired by a late-afternoon Paula Deen show that was playing in the background after the kids' pre-dinner video ended, this is elegant, delicious, and unbelievably easy to pull off. It would make a wonderful birthday cake! I never looked up the actual recipe, so this may vary slightly from that offered by the show -- and I'm sure you could vary the ingredients according to your own taste, using your favorite sundae as the inspiration. Here's how we did it, using a 9" square glass baking dish:

* Butter-flavor spray, to lightly grease the baking dish (optional, but it helps)

* 16 plain vanilla ice cream sandwiches (or so, depending on the size -- ours were about 1-1/2" x 5")

* Toffee bits (found next to the chocolate chips in the grocery store)

* 4-6 ripe-for-eating bananas, peeled and sliced

* 1 (10-oz) jar maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

* 1/2 jar (about) hot fudge sauce

* 1/2 jar (about) butterscotch sauce

* 1 (8 oz) tub frozen whipped topping, defrosted

This is probably the most kid-friendly dish you'll ever prepare! Set the children to work peeling the paper off the ice cream sandwiches and slicing the bananas while you chop up the maraschino cherries. Then get ready to assemble!

Line the baking dish with half of ice cream sandwiches, cutting the last one or two in half to fit snugly into the pan. (Eager children will happily consume any cuttings that don't quite fit.)

Over this, layer the sliced bananas and the maraschino cherries; top with hot fudge sauce (preheating a bit in the microwave -- lid off, of course -- will help with pouring); eyeball the amount.

Sprinkle on a layer of toffee bits -- again, eyeball it. Be sure you reserve enough to decorate the top of the cake -- and for the kids to sample!

Over this, place the remaining ice cream sandwiches, layering as before. The top of the dish may be slightly wider than the bottom, so it may take an extra ice cream sandwich or so. I also laid this layer crosswise to the bottom layer, to ensure it wouldn't fall apart along sandwich lines when serving (though it does seem to come together very well upon freezing).

Pour butterscotch sauce atop this, then spread with whipped topping. Sprinkle the top with a few reserved toffee bits.

Place in the freezer for several hours or overnight.

Note: This dish is VERY heavy, and may be pretty drippy at this point! I put some parchment under it in the freezer to catch any spills. If you have the freezer space, it'd probably be a good idea to set the cake on a baking sheet.

To serve: Before cutting, run a warm, wet washcloth along the outside of the dish to help slightly loosen it from the pan (this also cleans up any sticky mess that may have occurred!) Using a sharp cake server or knife, cut into 16 equal squares. (Dipping the server or knife into a bowl of hot water between cuts helps!). Serve immediately. Store leftovers in the freezer, lightly covered, for a week or so (if it lasts that long!) :)

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I Heart Donuts

This post was written by Robina, at Motherly Loving, and submitted for publication here at Catholic Cuisine. Thank you Robina, and congratulations on your precious new little one!

Here is a yummy Valentine's Day tradition of ours. Yummy, enjoy.

Heart Donuts

biscuit dough - ready to use or from scratch

small heart-shaped cookie cutter or a circle of any kind for traditional round shape

1/4 - 1/2 cup cooking oil - vegetable or canola

tongs

paper towels

cinnamon and sugar mix and/or powdered sugar

Open the biscuit can and spread all the rolls out. Then using your cutter, press out a donut hole right in the middle.

Then get your pan on medium heat with 1/4 - 1/2 cup oil. Depending on how many you make, you will need more oil. You want enough oil to cover half of the donut when cooking. Place 3-4 doughy donuts into the pan and leave until the bottom is golden brown (2-3 minutes). Don't do anything else but watch these, as they cook fast and don't want them to burn. Then turn them over and cook another minute or so.

Using tongs, place the cooked donut on paper towels to drain and cool slightly. Then get your pan on medium heat with 1/4 - 1/2 cup oil. Depending on how many you make, you will need more oil. You want enough oil to cover half of the donut when cooking. Now place the donuts on a plate and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar or powdered sugar too. Or let cool slightly and cover with chocolate icing and Valentine's sprinkles.

Enjoy.

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St. Valentine's Day Treats

Last year my children and I made some fun and yummy treats for St. Valentine's Day, which I never did post here at Catholic Cuisine so I thought I would share them with you now:

Candy Coated Oreos, Marshmallows, and Pretzels.

First we gathered all our supplies:

(We never did use the M&M's, but here's a great idea for them.)

Next, we melted about half of our white Almond Bark in the microwave. The girls mixed it to make sure it was smooth.

Each Oreo was dipped in the melted almond bark and laid on a cookie sheet, lined with wax paper, to cool.



After that, we added a little red heart, or sprinkles, to each cookie.



The boys choose to dip the pretzels and marshmallows in brown almond bark and add sprinkles.

The girls didn't want to stop with the cookies, so they helped with the pretzels too!

It was all so very easy to make, and everyone had so much fun!

What are your favorite treats to make for St. Valentine's Day?

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